California Chrome, held by his exercise rider William Delgado, the early favorite to win the Kentucky Derby gets a bath after going to the track Tuesday morning April 29, 2014 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. (Skip Dickstein / Times Union)

It was just before 7 Tuesday morning when the star of the Kentucky Derby made his first appearance at Churchill Downs. Media types with tape recorders and cameras and microphones chronicled every step the big horse named California Chrome made in his short tour around the fabled racetrack.

When the chestnut colt was getting his morning bath back at the barn, the crowd was even bigger, as regular race fans wanted to get a look while handlers splashed water over California Chrome's broad back. All during the activities on this overcast morning, California Chrome showed little interest in all the fuss.

Those associated with California Chrome — and there were more than a few people walking the grounds at Barn 20 with California Chrome baseball hats — hope there is even more attention early Saturday night after the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby. California Chrome, winner of his three starts this year by 18 lengths, is the horse that is supposed to be faster than the other 19 he'll be running against.

In his most recent start, he won the Grade I Santa Anita Derby by 51/4 lengths. There is no doubt that he will be made the morning-line favorite when post positions are drawn Wednesday.

More Information

Time trials

California Chrome won the 11/8-mile Santa Anita Derby in a time of 1:472/5. Track conditions can vary, but here is a comparison of how some of his Kentuck Derby competition fared at other prep races at the same distance:

Horse

Race

Time

Chitu

Sunland Derby

1:474/5

Wicked Strong

Wood Memorial

1:491/5

Danza

Arkansas Derby

1:493/5

Vicar's in Trouble

Louisiana Derby

1:503/5

Run for the Roses

When: 6:24 p.m. Saturday

Where: Churchill Downs, Kentucky

TV: Coverage begins at 4 p.m. on NBC-13

"I think he is the best horse," said California-based trainer John Sadler, who will run Candy Boy in the Derby. "Whether he wins or not, well I don't know. He is the horse to beat, but let's get through the draw."

California Chrome is trained by 77-year-old Art Sherman, who never has had a horse like this in a career that started in 1979. Before that, he was a jockey, from 1957 until he started training. Originally from Brooklyn, Sherman was a stablehand for the barn that produced 1955 Kentucky Derby winner Swaps.

"I've been around a lot of horses and a lot of good ones," Sherman said Tuesday morning in his first meeting with Derby media. "I always said that if I were to come back here, I wanted to bring a contender. (California Chrome) just has a lot of talent. That's all I can really tell you. We haven't gotten to the bottom of him yet."

That's not good news for everyone else in the field. California Chrome has barely broken a sweat in his three starts this year. He blitzed Hoppertunity by 51/2 lengths in the Santa Anita Derby. Candy Boy was in third. Those two are considered to be the best of the West — after the big horse, of course.

"The way he does it, well, he just gets out there and smokes 'em, you know?" said Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has won the Derby three times and will try to beat California Chrome with Hoppertunity and Sunland Derby winner Chitu. "He is just fast. He hits the quarter pole, and it's like he re-breaks. I hope he is that good, because he beat me pretty good."

This will be the first time any of these horses have tried 11/4 miles. It will also be the first time California Chrome has run outside of California. He was born in California and only four California-breds have won the Run for the Roses; the last was Decidedly in 1962.

"I talked to (jockey) Victor (Espinoza), and he said he has never asked this horse to run in his last three races," Sherman said. "When they win by seven, eight lengths, you know how I feel. I wish I had my jockey license back."